Aperio Veneficus
by JenKM1216
Summary: When Hermione takes a job as a curse breaker in New Orleans, LA, she unlocks a secret involving cursed amulets. Little does she know that, in the process, she will find love, deception, and many more surprises hidden in the still waters of the Bayous.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Notes:_ This story was written for Phoenix Rising's Paintbrush and Quill Society. I signed up as an author and was paired with an artist. I was lucky enough to get the talented Perselus as my partner. We discussed every aspect of the plot and art together to put together the following illustrated story. We hope you all enjoy our collaboration.

She designed cover art which can be found at this link:

The next piece of art can be found on DeviantArt at the following link:

http:// www. deviantart. com/ deviation/56098784?qo6&qby3Aperselus&qhsort3Atime+-in3Ascraps

You'll need to take out the spaces in the link. This site doesn't allow web addresses to any other site.

If you enjoy the story and art, please be sure to leave a comment for Perselus, as well.

Thank you so much to SouthernWitch69 for her beta of this story. She was able to give me valuable information about New Orleans, since I hadn't been before, lending an air of reality to the scenes.

_Disclaimer:_ HP belongs to JKR. The artwork is copy written by Perselus, so please be sure to ask her permission if you'd like to use one of her images.**  
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**Aperio Veneficus**

**Chapter One**

Hermione Granger flicked her wand harshly at the small bag. It flopped onto one side and lay still, seemingly mocking her with mal-intent. She was attempting to break the jinx on the small gris-gris bag, and so far, nothing she did was giving her the desired results. Turning around on her heel, she pocketed her wand and made her way back to the small house on the Louisiana bayou.

"I need to do a bit of additional research on the type of curse used on the gris-gris, Ms. Trudy," she said to the woman sitting on the porch, "and possibly brew a potion. I've got a feeling that the person who made that gris-gris bag has been studying some of Marie Laveau's more horrible wangas."

"You need SS Apothecary Shop," the ancient woman said. "Best herbs in the business."

"SS Apothecary Shop?" Hermione asked.

"Down in the French Quarter. Juss go ta Lloyd's, and he'll steer ya right." The woman spoke softly but with authority. It was obvious that she was very familiar with the darker aspects of New Orleans.

"I'll be back in a few days," Hermione said, not voicing the understood promise. "Just make sure to keep away from that gris-gris bag. It's not safe to touch."

"Don' haff ta tell me twice," Ms. Trudy said. "Be mindful ya make the right turn. It don' do even for a witch to get lost in the bayou."

Hermione froze and gave a short laugh. "Witch?" she asked.

"Chile, you don' see all I seen in my life without knowin' a witch when you see one. Ya juss be careful now." The old woman gave her a knowing smile and walked into the house, not bothering to close the door behind her.

Hermione climbed into the small car she had driven there and turned around. After several tries in the tiny driveway, she finally righted herself and set off down the road, watching carefully for her turn, mindful of the woman's words. Not even an accomplished witch or wizard could protect against everything in the deepest parts of the bayou alone.

When she finally made her way to the main road an hour later, she breathed a sigh of relief. For some reason, locating charms were of little use inside the bayou areas. They never sent her in the right direction like they were supposed to. One was forced to rely on their own sense of direction.

Hermione allowed her mind to wander as she drove towards New Orleans on the straight highway.

She had stayed in England for five and a half years after the final battle. During that time, she had received a Ministry appointed research job, but it was clear after three years that Muggle-borns were still discriminated against. Hermione had watched as a wizard with less experience, who had worked there less time than she, was given a promotion, totally bypassing her. When she had inquired as to why he had received the promotion over her, her boss had dismissed her, saying it was none of her business why one person was chosen over another. Two years later, she was overlooked yet again. She had handed in her notice the next day and made arrangements to have her vault at Gringotts changed to US dollars. After saying goodbye to her very understanding parents, she had set out for New Orleans.

Hermione had decided to offer her services as a dark magic eradicator, but she knew that she had to first receive the blessing of the most powerful Voodoo queen since Marie Laveau. When Hermione had arrived in New Orleans, her first order of business had been to set up a meeting with Mama Almeda. She obtained a job, and after three months of working for Mama Almeda, Hermione had discovered that the Voodoo queen had lost a brother living in England to Voldemort's Death Eaters. Mama Almeda was also a witch. Because of her roll in Voldemort's defeat, Mama Almeda had decided to allow Hermione to work in New Orleans as long as Hermione passed along any information gathered on jobs and didn't interfere with any of her work. The lesser priestesses of Voodoo and Hoodoo and the locals knew better than to mess with anyone who had received Mama Almeda's blessing. Word of the blessing had traveled fast, and Hermione had received a phone call the next day and started her work. After several successful jobs, Hermione was in great demand.

This was the first time she'd ever run across a jinx she couldn't lift. She parked her car in the small parking lot at the boarding house she was currently living in and began walking to Lloyd's.

The day was scorching, and Hermione began sweating immediately. She sighed in annoyance at herself. She should have known better than to start her walk without casting a Cooling Charm on herself. As she walked, she berated herself even more for failing to cast a Mosquito Repellent Charm as well. She was sure she had a few hundred mosquito bites by the time she reached Lloyd's, and she was panting, sorely in need of a cool drink. As she pushed the door open, the bells on the handle jingled, alerting Lloyd to her presence.

"Hermione," he said in greeting. "What can I do for you today?" he asked, holding out a cup of water.

Hermione sighed in pleasure as the cool water slid down her esophagus. "Ms. Trudy sent me here to ask you for directions to SS Apothecary Shop," she said, setting the cup on the counter next to an assortment of fake alligator claw key chains.

"SS Apothecary?" Lloyd arched his eyebrows at her. "Guess you bein' a witch shouldn't surprise me none," he said.

"How does everyone here seem to know I'm a witch?" she asked.

"Well, the magic school here don' see much point in hidin'. Americans ignore wass in front of their faces. They only take notice to wass hidden. Makes more sense not to hide, don' it?" Lloyd said, flourishing his hands as he explained it to her. "Besides, SS Apothecary is in the wizardin' part of the French Quarter."

Hermione gave a short laugh. "I guess that was something of a give away then," she said. "So, you do know where it is?"

Lloyd nodded, smiling. "'Sides, there's nothin' in New Orleans me an' Ms. Trudy don' know about between the two of us."

Half an hour later, Hermione found herself walking down a road that any Muggle could access. It seemed that the wizarding community took the phrase 'hiding in plain sight' to heart. She could have laughed. A small alleyway just off Bourbon Street held everything a witch or wizard could ask for.

Making her way to the end of the alley, Hermione finally spotted SS Apothecary Shop. The front looked dingy and run down, but Hermione knew the inside would be a different story.

The first thing she noticed upon her entrance was the scent of cinnamon. It seemed this proprietor was very interested in making a profit. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom of the shop, she gasped. Even in Diagon Alley, one couldn't have found a larger assortment of common and rare herbs. Jars lined the packed shelves, each labeled clearly. A feeling not unlike lust ran through her body as she took in her surroundings. She definitely had to talk to the owner.

Walking forward, she approached the counter that held a cash register. A tall, thin man stood with his back to her, his long, black hair hanging freely down his back. He was stocking shelves behind the register. As she took in the labels of the neatly arranged, colorful bottles, she realized that they were rare, hard-to-find ingredients. Some of them were not even allowed in England per Ministry regulations.

"I'll be with you in one moment," the man said in a low, silky voice.

_I know that voice, _Hermione thought. _It couldn't be…_

OOooOOooOOooOO

Severus had received his morning shipment, feeling happier than he had in a while. He had been looking for a year for some of the ingredients within. He unpacked the box with care and began stocking his shop's shelves. Each shelf was meticulously organized. He insisted on order, even among the strange Voodoo and Hoodoo ingredients. Some shops he had been in seemed to have no rhyme or reason to the "organization" found within. He catalogued each of his ingredients and stocked them according to spell or potions use and attributes. As he stocked the shelves, he gloated.

Six years ago, he had been exonerated for the cold-blooded murder of Albus Dumbledore. An authenticated will had revealed Dumbledore's orders for Severus to kill him. However, the fact remained that Severus had indeed killed the Headmaster with an illegal Killing Curse. Many remained unconvinced of Severus' loyalty to the Order even after he was pardoned for his crimes. After a year of ridicule and the inability to find a decent job—he'd be damned before he went back to teaching again—he left England.

He had arrived in New Orleans five years ago and set up his shop three months later. After careful study of the area's Voodoo and Hoodoo practices, he catered to their unique needs, carrying all manners of animal and herbal ingredients. His more rare items contained such things as human bones and organs. He made it a practice not to ask how the items were procured by his vendors.

SS Apothecary Shop quickly became the only shop in which to get quality items for rituals and spells. The other shops in New Orleans slowly became simple tourist attractions. Since the American wizarding community was so open to Muggles, Severus was able to set up his shop in the wizarding section of New Orleans without losing his Muggle clients when he outgrew his tiny corner shop on North Rampart Street.

His life had been good in the United States. Most in the US hadn't even heard of Voldemort and the Death Eaters, and many people actually found his Dark Mark "cool." Severus was free from his past for the first time in his life because of the American attitude of don't ask, don't tell. He was able to walk down the street without being harassed or stared at. His dignity as a person and a businessman was intact and respected here.

Taking a look around the shop, Severus frowned. He was low on Redding. He hadn't realized so many people were buying the protective dust. He'd have to visit one of his numerous vendors tomorrow and stock back up. Satisfied with that solution, he walked behind the counter where his cash register stood. It had taken him forever to learn to use the blasted contraption. Yes, he was a half-blood, but he'd never had a Muggle job before, and the register confused him after living so long in the wizarding world.

He delved into the shipment box and began pulling out the jars of rare ingredients for Voodoo and Hoodoo gris-gris bags: alligator feet, alligator teeth, badger teeth, human finger bones in small, medium, and large, human teeth, and several raccoon penis bones. He'd also received a small box of black hen eggs, but those had immediately been put into the small refrigerator under the counter.

The more grisly aspect of the human items made him cringe at times, but after his Death Eater activities, it was trivial in the long run. If his customers wanted the items, then he would make them available. The exorbitant cost of them didn't hurt his feelings either. Severus Snape was in business for the profit.

He was in the midst of arranging the rare and expensive items when the bell on the door rang, alerting him to a customer. Instead of turning around, he let them take in the quality of his shop while he finished arranging the colorful jars on the highly polished shelves. Regular wood shelves adorned the walls and floor of his shop, but the expensive and rare items were on display. The customer, still in the doorway, gasped. It was a woman. With any luck, it was one of the Voodoo priestesses. The alligator feet had been out of stock for nearly a year due to Muggle sanctions on the reptile. He sensed her walking towards the counter, feeling her eyes boring into his back.

"I'll be with you in one moment," he said, using a soft, silky voice. His regular female customers had told him that his voice was "dead sexy" and could convince even the most tight-fisted to spend money. Letting his tone of voice sink in for a moment, he took a deep breath, putting himself into his salesman frame of mind, and turned around.

"No," he said in disbelief, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. "Anyone but the know-it-all."


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Notes:_ Thank you so much to SouthernWitch69 for her beta.

Don't forget to check out Perselus' artwork for this chapter. It can be found at the following link: http:// www. deviation/56099145/?qo4&qby3 Aperselus&qhsort3Atime+-in3Ascraps

Leave her some love. She's talented and deserves to be told so. Once again, you'll need to remove the spaces in the link to view the pic.

Thanks to all of our reviewers. I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to reply to the reviews, but I do read each one. Thank you all for brightening my day.

_Disclaimer:_ HP belongs to JKR.

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**Aperio Veneficus**

**Chapter Two**

Hermione's gaping mouth closed tightly upon hearing Severus' insult. "Anyone but the know-it-all?" She repeated his words, her voice growing shriller with each one. "Anyone but the know-it-all?"

Hermione's teeth were clenched together in anger, and Severus suddenly realized that she wasn't a little girl anymore. No, this was a woman before him. And she was an enraged woman. From his experience dealing with the various Voodoo and Hoodoo priestesses, Severus had learned it was never a good idea to annoy an accomplished witch. The last time he had done so, he had a case of hives on his backside for a week. Butt cheeks clenching together in remembered pain, he fingered his wand hidden in his pocket, realizing this was the woman Mama Almeda had passed her blessing to three months ago. It figured Hermione Granger was the one to convince Mama Almeda to allow her to work in the area.

"How dare you treat me like a child, Snape? All those years I tried to make people show you the respect you deserved as a teacher. I worked my tail off in your class, hoping for a glimmer of a compliment on my much more than adequate skills. Now, I am a grown woman—twenty-four years old. I helped defeat Voldemort, freeing your sorry backside from a life of hell." She stopped to breathe. Her face was red, and her use of the word backside caused Severus to nearly draw his wand defensively. Deciding just to let her finish her tirade, he kept silent as she shuddered with each deep breath. "It's been nearly six years since I saw you. I may have only been eighteen-years old, but even then I wasn't a child. My friends and I never got a chance to be children. So how dare you insult me and call me names. How dare you bring back a remembered pain of being taunted in front of an entire class of my peers? As if they didn't make fun of me often enough already, you, the greasy bat of the dungeons, gave them more ammunition. Who needs to be nice to Hermione if the most loathsome teacher in the school even finds her repulsive?"

Severus opened his mouth to speak as Hermione fell silent, but she held her hand up. "Don't. Just don't. It's not as if I could really expect any better from you. I mean, if it wasn't for me finding Dumbledore's will, you would be in Azkaban and Kissed by now. Did I even get a word of thanks back then? No, of course not," she said, bitterness permeating her voice as she turned on her heel to leave the shop.

Without thinking, Severus reached out over the counter and grabbed her arm, staying her retreat. She turned around and looked at him sharply, obviously expecting the worst. "Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?" Severus asked, surprising himself.

Hermione looked as surprised as he felt. "Dinner? With you? Me and you?" She pointed from herself to Severus and back again as if she couldn't fathom his actual meaning.

"Me and you," he said, nodding in confirmation. "If you're free, I'd like to buy you dinner tonight." He still couldn't believe that he was actually inviting Hermione Granger out to eat. He thought hard, wondering if he had inadvertently upset one of the priestesses lately. Maybe one of them had cursed him. "What was that?" he asked, suddenly realizing Hermione had spoken.

"I'll go to dinner with you tonight," she said, repeating her words as she smiled slightly. "What time?"

"Oh, uh, how's 6:30?" Severus asked, blurting the words off the top of his head without thinking first.

"I'll meet you here then," she said.

Severus forced a small smile to his face as he watched her walk out the door. When she was gone from sight, Severus rushed into the back room of his shop. Looking in the mirror in his small bathroom, he examined his eyes. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Placing the back of his wrist over his forehead, he determined that he didn't have a fever either.

"Hermione Granger?" he asked his reflection. "What have I gotten myself into?"

OOooOOooOOooOO

At 6:30, Hermione found herself once again walking into SS Apothecary Shop. She had briefly considered not going, but she was too intrigued by the sudden invitation to resist. The Severus Snape she remembered would have torn her apart piece by piece, making her feel like the lowest life form on the planet in the process. After her outburst, that's exactly what she had expected when he'd caught her arm in his hand. Instead, she was now staring at the sign in front of his shop, about to join him for dinner.

Taking a deep breath, she entered the apothecary shop. Cinnamon instantly assaulted her senses once again. But this time, she smelled cologne as well. Looking up, she saw Severus watching her as he leaned casually against the counter, arms crossed over his chest.

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Earlier, he had been wearing a simple black frock coat. Now, he was dressed in Muggle clothing. His trousers were black, but he was wearing a deep green button-up shirt. The only other time Hermione had seen him in anything other than black was at a Quidditch match when he'd worn a Slytherin scarf.

"Good evening," he said softly.

"Good evening," she said. She wasn't supposed to be attracted to Severus Snape, but the sudden allure of the dark man overwhelmed her. _What's wrong with me?_ she thought.

Severus was equally distracted by Hermione. She had been wearing sensible work clothes when she had been there earlier, but the dark blue dress she wore now clung to her very feminine, very adult curves. He was sure she hadn't looked like this last time he saw her. _Her hair is even frizzier then it used to be in this humidity, _he thought. Even with that in mind, Severus couldn't help but stare at the captivating woman before him.

"Ready for dinner?" Severus asked in a silky, smooth voice. For some reason he wanted to impress the young woman before him. It was really bothering him that he cared what Hermione Granger thought of him. He must have been cursed for some reason by a priestess. That was the only explanation for his attraction to her.

"Yes," Hermione said, barely audible. He was taking her breath away, and it was very unsettling. What would Harry and Ron think if they knew the desire racing through her veins was for the much detested Severus Snape?

"Are you familiar with Tony Moran's?" Severus asked.

"Yes, but I've never eaten there," Hermione said. He'd picked a casual fine dining restaurant—nice but not over the top. If he'd picked a fine dining restaurant, Hermione would have known he was interested. On the other hand, if he'd picked a casual restaurant, Hermione would have known he wasn't interested. As it stood, she had no idea what his intentions were.

Severus held out his arm to escort Hermione from his shop, using wandless, unspoken magic to lock up behind them. He had no idea what Hermione was thinking. Did she think he was cheap for not choosing a formal restaurant, or did she think he wanted something from her since he didn't go with a casual restaurant? Severus was nervous for the first time he could remember.

They walked to the restaurant without uttering another word to one another. It was a relief to them both when they entered the restaurant and were escorted to their table. After ordering drinks, another uncomfortable silence fell.

"You were the one to find the will?" Severus asked, breaking the silence suddenly. That Hermione had been the one to search out the will was news to him. The Azkaban guards had only said someone went to a lot of effort for him, and they couldn't understand why anyone would care if he lived or died—dying being the obvious choice of the guards.

"Yes, I was. Didn't anyone tell you?" she asked. She'd been assuming for almost six years that he was an ungrateful sot.

"No," Severus said, looking down at the table. His voice was so low Hermione almost missed it when he started talking again. "Thank you. You saved my life. I would have died in Azkaban." Severus was unaccustomed to expressing gratitude, but he was suddenly filled with happiness at finally being able to thank the person who had gone to so much trouble for him.

"You don't need to thank me, Severus," Hermione said. "I did what anyone would do."

Severus looked into Hermione's eyes. "No, you did what no one else would do. Everyone else would have been more than happy to let me die without looking for the truth."

Hermione almost said that wasn't true, but she realized it was. Severus was right. No one else would have gone to the measures she had to discover the truth. "I accept your thanks. You're welcome."

A weight was suddenly lifted from Severus' shoulders. The ice had melted between them, and Hermione ceased to be the former student and was only the intelligent woman he knew she was.

Dinner was, in Severus' opinion, a smashing success. He and Hermione had more in common than he'd originally thought. She had taunted him with the knowledge that she had broken his record for the most N.E.W.T.s received, and he had taunted that was why she was called a know-it-all. Rather than get upset, she had laughed and said he was probably right.

Instead of asking her to his house, Severus merely escorted her home after, finding out where she lived.

"I had a nice time," Hermione said when they arrived at the boarding house.

"As did I," Severus said. "Perhaps you would be willing to accompany me to dinner again this weekend?"

"I would be more than willing," Hermione said, hoping she appeared coy rather than jubilant.

Severus nodded, also trying to contain his pleasure. Leaning down, he captured her lips with his, kissing her languidly, enjoying her softness of her lips. It was even more satisfying when she melted against him, kissing him back and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Good night, Hermione," he whispered after pulling back.

"Good night, Severus," Hermione whispered in reply.

Disapparating, Severus caught himself humming as he entered the apartment over his shop. He hadn't been so happy since he was a child, and it was almost a foreign feeling to him.

He was amazed when Hermione relaxed into his arms so readily. He'd had a number of propositions since arriving in New Orleans, but they hadn't made it past the first date. Hermione, however, was a very pleasant surprise. He touched his lips and remembered her scent. She smelled like a fresh orange. With a sudden craving for an orange, Severus went to his kitchen and pulled one from the refrigerator.

OOooOOooOOooOO

Hermione entered the boarding house after glancing at Severus one last time, hearing him Disapparate as she closed the door. She managed to contain her glee until she cast a Silencing Charm on her room. She laughed loudly, throwing herself on the bed.

She relived the kiss over again as she readied for bed. Severus Snape was a brilliant kisser. Who would have thought that those thin lips could make a woman feel so warm? Lying down, she draped a sheet over herself lightly.

"I'm completely head over heels for Severus Snape," she whispered, realization burning through her. "_Nox_," she said, smiling widely.

OOooOOooOOooOO

Hermione drove to the bayou the next morning to look into the appearance of another gris-gris bag. Panic was spreading among the bayou inhabitants. Gris-gris bags and cursed amulets were being uncovered much too often for comfort. Many believed that they had somehow collectively angered one of the Hoodoo queens. As of yet, Hermione had been unable to trace the cursed objects.

"Good morning, Harv," Hermione said as she climbed out of her car at her destination.

"Mornin' Hermine," he said, using the common bayou mispronunciation of her name. They all left out the 'o.' "The amulet's out back, 'long da edge of da swamp. I'm not goin' back thar again. I'll leave the curse breakin' to you."

"Of course," Hermione said, smiling at the small girl peering out the door. The girl smiled, revealing several missing teeth, before sticking her dirty thumb in her mouth. Nodding to the gangly man, Hermione rounded the house, noting the absence of animals and insects from the back yard. Walking cautiously, she made her way to the water's edge, carefully checking for alligators. Glancing behind her, she cautiously cast a scanning charm on the water. While it was uncommon to be attacked by an alligator, one could never be too sure. Satisfied that there was nothing malevolent in the sluggish swamp water, Hermione continued her search for the amulet. Finally finding the circular object partially hidden in a clump of tall grass, she approached it with care.

Glancing back at the house again to make sure no one was watching, she pointed her wand at the carved stone and waved it a few times. A few colored sparks flew off, indicating a weaker curse. She was sure it was the work of the same person who had placed the various gris-gris bags and amulets around the bayou. It was the weakest curse yet, so she hoped it might still contain traces of the spell caster. The harsher the curse, the harder it was to identify the caster. All traces of the original caster were overwhelmed by the curses.

Hermione stood up, looking to the house again before waving her wand and whispering, "_Aperio Veneficus_." Loosely translated, the Latin phrasing meant 'reveal spell caster.' It was a spell that Hermione had invented while working for the Ministry. She had intended to inform her employer of the spell she'd created, but when she was passed over for the first promotion, she'd kept it to herself.

Hermione watched as the amulet shuddered with magic. The curse was putting up a fight. A light emitted from the stone, and an image began to form within. Hermione watched with bated breath, chanting, "Let it work; let it work," under her breath as if will alone would clear the fuzzy, transparent image.

"Come on," she said, urging the spell to work. The image cleared slightly but faded just as quickly. "_Aperio Veneficus_," Hermione said, hissing her command.

The light flared brightly—almost blindingly this time. Normally Hermione would be concerned about her clients seeing her spell casting, but she was determined to discover the culprit this time. The image returned, showing Hermione a dark-haired man. It was still fuzzy, but growing clearer.

"Work, damn you," Hermione said. Suddenly, the image flared again. Hermione threw her hands in front of her eyes to ward off the brilliant white light. When the light died down, she removed her hand from her eyes and saw the unmistakable face of Severus Snape glaring at her.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Notes:_ Thank you so much to SouthernWitch69 for her beta.

Once again, there is a wonderful illustration for this chapter. Have I mentioned how talented Perselus is? Really, go look at her art and tell her how lovely it is. http:// www. /56099261 /?qo3&qby3Aperselus&qhsort3Atime+-in3Ascraps

Please remember to remove the spaces in the link after copying and pasting.

Thank you also to all of our lovely reviewers. I'm so sorry I haven't found time to answer them. Real life doesn't seem inclined to give me breaks very often. I do appreciate each and every comment. They mean the world.

_Disclaimer:_ HP belongs to JKR. I only pretend.

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**Aperio Veneficus**

**Chapter Three**

Hermione had stared at the image until it faded. She'd pocketed the gris-gris bag after destroying the curse and had risen swiftly. She hardly remembered her short, stilted conversation with Harv and didn't remember the drive out of the bayou at all. She'd driven straight to the boarding house and locked herself in her room. This was how Mama Almeda had found her.

"What's all this moping about?" Mama Almeda asked. Unlike most of the lifetime New Orleans residents, Mama Almeda had no discernable accent. Hermione suspected she used it to throw others off balance.

"I've just discovered something bad about someone I've come to care about. I don't know what to do," Hermione said, voice just above a whisper.

"Ah, so you've discovered that Severus Snape has been the one planting the cursed objects around the bayou then," Mama Almeda said, smiling wisely.

Hermione sat up and looked the Voodoo queen in the eyes. "You knew? All this time?"

"Nothing gets past me, child. It's why I'm the queen." Her explanation was simple, but loaded with authority.

"So… you knew all this time?" Hermione asked, still trying to wrap her mind around it.

"Of course."

"You-you—" Hermione sputtered, unsure what to say.

"I set you up. I played matchmaker," Mama Almeda said, eyes twinkling much like the late Albus Dumbledore's. Hermione wondered if they'd ever met.

"You set me up with Severus Snape?" Hermione felt stupid for repeating everything Mama Almeda was saying, but she was in too much shock to do much else.

"It was just a matter of time before you found out for yourselves. Your destinies are intertwined. I just hurried things along." Mama Almeda put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Now you know my secret. But Severus Snape has no idea I've been allowing him to get away with his money-making scheme. What you chose to do with your knowledge is up to you."

She rose and walked to the door before Hermione found her voice. "But the amulets and gris-gris bags started appearing before I ever came to New Orleans. Why would you let him keep on with it until I arrived?"

"It suited my purposes," she said in explanation, eyes twinkling again as she walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

* * *

Severus turned around at the sound of the Voodoo queen's voice. "Severus Snape, we have some business," she said. 

"What can I do for you today, Madam?" Severus asked. He never referred to her as Mama Almeda like everyone else did. She knew as well as he did that they were equals.

"I'd like for you to stop putting those amulets and gris-gris bags around the bayou now. You've a boost in your business, and you've fulfilled my needs." She smiled serenely, fully expecting him to do her bidding.

Severus considered his words carefully. A carefully aimed curse when he wasn't looking was all she needed to make him miserable and impede his business. "I've fulfilled your needs?" It didn't come as a shock to him that she had known what he was doing. Not much, if anything, got past her.

"Yes." Changing the subject, she said, "Don't disappoint me by hurting Hermione, Severus Snape. She's the first person to approach me in a straightforward manner with her ambitions."

"What if she hurts me?" he asked, daring to spar with the Voodoo queen.

"That won't happen," she said, conviction in her voice.

"And what makes you so sure?" he asked.

Her eyes twinkled, bringing painful memories to the surface of his mind. "Because she loves you."

* * *

A few hours later, Severus was sifting though his latest order. He'd been lucky enough to get his hands on another shipment of hard to come by items. As he stocked the shelves, he wondered if Hermione really did love him as the Voodoo queen had said. The young fell in love so quickly, it could be true. He knew he cared for her beyond friendship, but could it ever turn into love? As he lifted the last jar out of the box, there was a flash of light and a burst of smoke. When the smoke cleared, he looked around in shock, mouth gaping. Every inch of his shop was covered in bright yellow feathers, including him. Raising his arm, he examined it closely and realized that he'd also been "tarred." Whoever had done it hadn't actually used tar; they'd used honey. 

"You git," Hermione said from the doorway.

Severus looked at her in shock. "What's the meaning of this, Hermione?" There was one question answered. Hermione didn't look very loving at all. He glared at her darkly. She'd better hope that none of his merchandise was ruined.

"You're the one who's been placing cursed amulets and gris-gris bags around the bayou." Her eyes flashed as she put her hands on her hips, wand pointing toward him.

_Damn._ "If it makes you feel better, they weren't all mine." He decided that it would be best just to tell the truth. She obviously knew beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"Nearly all of my business has been because of you! I feel like I've robbed these people! You- you—"

"Bastard? Snake? _Slytherin_?" Severus hurled the words at her, finishing her sentence. "I've never denied any of those things. You accepted my dinner invitation knowing what I am capable of. If I could kill a man I looked up to as a father, then I can deprive some backwards country people of a few dollars and keep a clear conscience." Severus knew he had the same hateful, cold look he always wore as a teacher from the way Hermione looked at him. It was the same way his students had all looked at him—a mix of fear and loathing. An unwanted pang shot through him upon seeing her looking at him like that.

"How could I have ever thought you might be a changed man? You're the same icy, hate-filled man you always were."

Hermione's words shot through Severus like arrows, angering him more than he'd been in years. Striding from behind the counter, yellow feathers wafting through the air, he wandlessly locked the door behind her, impeding her escape.

Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her close, dropping his sticky lips to hers. She struggled at first, but soon collapsed against him, bringing her hands up to his hair and pulling him closer. A sudden wave of desire shot through him, and he deepened their kiss. When she responded by wrapping her leg around his, he lifted her and exited the shop, going upstairs to his apartment. Instead of going to the bedroom as Hermione was probably expecting, he entered the bathroom and dumped her in the tub.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I am covered in feathers and honey, thanks to you. And you are less than clean yourself."

* * *

"This isn't fair," Hermione said, a whining tone dominating her voice. "You dumped me in the shower and led me to believe that... At least give me my wand." 

Severus glared at her. "I said no magic. You could damage some of my items with magic. You covered my shop in honey and feathers, and you can clean it."

Hermione tucked a stray strand of hair back into the bandana Severus had given her to tie her hair back with. "But—"

"No buts. No magic. No more talking." Severus nearly laughed aloud at Hermione's silent pouting as he began cleaning the vials containing his more costly items.

Hermione kept quiet for the next hour, only asking for additional cleaning supplies when she ran out. Severus saw her turn a few times, her mouth open to speak. However, she would pause and close it again, turning back to her cleaning.

After she'd done it for what Severus thought must have been the tenth time, he said, "Will you just say what you are itching to say, woman? I can't take the bloody intake of breath again and again anymore!"

Hermione frowned, causing her brow to furrow, and she paused her scrubbing. "Severus, you need to make up your mind. Do you or do you not want me to speak? I'm a grown woman, not some scared child you can order about. I've played along with your little game, but now you need to treat me like the adult I am."

Severus stared at her for a few moments. She was right. She was a grown woman, and he was still treating her like a child. It irked him terribly to admit that to himself. "All right, you can talk, and I won't try to order you to silence."

"All right. You want to know what I was going to say? Fine. You know as well as I do that the items on these outer shelves will not be damaged by magic. Finish cleaning yourself."

As she made her speech, she rose, ripping the gloves he'd provided off. She finished by tearing the bandana out of her hair and throwing it on the counter. She held out her hand, giving him a dark look until he handed her wand to her. When he placed it on her open palm, she curled her fingers around it so tightly that her knuckles turned white before turning on her heel and storming toward the door.

Before she reached it, Severus said, "I'd like to take you to dinner tomorrow night."

"Pick me up at 6:30 tomorrow evening," she said without stopping.

Severus smiled as the door slammed behind her. Three swishes of his wand later, the shop was spotless.

* * *

When Hermione got back to her room at the Belfort Boarding House, she immediately got into the shower. She was more than angry at Severus. She really felt as if she'd cheated people out of their money. Then he'd had the audacity to force his kisses on her. She had to concede to herself, as she shampooed her hair, that they weren't really unwanted, but then he'd deepened the kiss and carried her upstairs. Instead of taking her to the bedroom, she'd been unceremoniously dumped in the tub. The shock of the cold porcelain had nearly taken her breath away. Then, after his little speech about being messy, he'd turned the cold water on her still-clothed body. He'd closed a curtain around her as she'd gasped for breath. She'd stripped out of her clothes hurriedly when the door had shut behind the exiting Severus. 

It had seemed to take forever for the water to warm, but it finally had, and she'd bathed. She also had to concede, as she washed her body, that she had indeed been messy and in need of a shower. However, Severus had been out of line with the cold water. She'd cleaned her clothes with her wand and dried them, donning them quickly.

When she'd emerged from the bathroom, Severus had brushed past her without a word and showered. Hermione had sat stewing in his small living room until he'd come out. Before she'd been able to start her tirade, Severus had said, "_Accio_," and snatched her wand from her hand. He'd then proceeded to tell her that they were going to clean his shop without magic. Again, reason told her, as she rinsed her hair and body, that she had gone a bit overboard with the honey and canary feathers. She'd gone with him to clean without a fight.

She stepped out of the shower and began toweling off. How could he have actually ordered her around like that? Then, when she'd finally given him a piece of her mind, he'd asked her to dinner again. She wrapped a towel around her hair and began dressing. Finally, she decided that she was in over her head with Severus Snape. But, for some reason, the thought thrilled her. As she walked back to her room, she decided that she was going to order the most expensive item on the menu at dinner.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Notes: _Thank you to SouthernWitch69 for her beta of this chapter.

Here is the chapter four artwork by Perselus: http://www. deviantart. com/ deviation/56099354/? qo2&qby3Aperselus&qh sort3Atime+ -in3Ascraps  
Be sure to remove the spaces in the link. Remember to leave Perselus some love!

Thank you to all my reviewers. I'm so happy you all have enjoyed this story. Forgive my late update. I had trouble getting FFN to allow me to upload this chapter. For some reason, it wouldn't accept new documents.

_Disclaimer: _ JKR owns it all.**  
**

* * *

**Aperio Veneficus**

**Chapter Four**

Hermione spent the better part of the following day cleaning up gris-gris bags and cursed amulets. She was sure that many of them were Severus' doing, but a fair few of them were outside of the ordinary. One in particular had been rather nasty. Severus had placed weaker cursed objects around houses containing children, but this one was so malignant that if a child touched it, he or she might die. One of the kids had gotten close enough to get sick, but Hermione had administered a potion to him, and he was doing much better.

When she'd finally removed the curse from the gris-gris bag, she picked it up and immediately realized that it wasn't Severus' work. On her drive home, she kept glancing at the now harmless bag. When she pulled into the small parking lot at the Belfort Boarding House, she sat there for a few minutes, thinking.

More of her calls today had been for gris-gris bags and cursed amulets that she didn't believe were Severus'. She was generally able to discern different spell-casters, and now, instead of mainly Severus' work, there were several others.

Unbidden, Severus' words the day before came to mind.

_If I could kill a man I looked up to as a father, then I can deprive some backwards country people of a few dollars and keep a clear conscious._

"If it wasn't you, it'd be someone else," she said softly, picking the bag up. "And at least you cared about people being hurt." The placement of his bags and amulets had always been in the open where they could be easily seen. He'd always made sure that no one was injured. Even considering his contemptible words about them being 'backwards country people,' he still cared enough to keep them from harm.

Climbing out of her car, Hermione realized it was 5:30, and Severus would be there in an hour to pick her up for dinner. Hermione had never been one to care much about appearances, but she found herself with the urge to dress nicely for these dates with Severus.

_Are they dates?_ she thought. _Does Severus look at them as dates or simply as two acquaintances having a night out together?_

The problem with Severus was that no one ever knew what he was thinking unless he was angry. Hermione suddenly realized how short a time she had known her former professor as a man. They had kissed a few times, allowing her to feel the chemistry they shared, but what did she really know about him? What kinds of food did he like? Did he enjoy owning his own apothecary shop? Even knowing so little, Hermione found herself inexplicably drawn to him. When he'd carried her upstairs, she'd hoped for more than a cold shower in her clothes.

As she slipped into a sage green dress, she wondered what Severus had been thinking. Had he suddenly dumped her in the shower because he wasn't really interested after all? Sudden doubt plagued her. What if he wasn't interested and was only taking her to dinner to placate her anger? She slipped her earrings on and fastened a necklace around her throat. Clasping a bracelet on as the finishing touch, she looked at herself in the mirror.

The dress was shorter than her blue one for their first date had been. While the blue dress had been long, the green dress fell just above her knees. For someone who so rarely wore fancy dresses, it was rather risky. It dipped low in the front, revealing cleavage. It would leave little room for Severus to imagine she wasn't interested in this sort of dress. The amethyst earrings, necklace, and bracelet finished her look off.

Hermione turned around as a knock sounded on her door.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Severus threw on a pair of black slacks and a dark blue shirt. After he'd slipped on his black boots and pulled his hair back with a black thong, he surveyed himself in the mirror. Overall, he was satisfied. Once upon a time, he'd never been pleased when he looked at himself in the mirror. When he'd taken Hermione to dinner the first time, the look she'd given him when she'd entered the shop had left him feeling desirable for the first time in his life. Tucking his wand in the wand pocket sewn into his trousers, he decided he was ready to go.

Walking through his shop, he was suddenly assaulted by an errant feather. It wafted through the air, attacking him as if it had a life of its own. He swiped at it, only causing its flight to spin madly out of control. Spinning like a top, it suddenly disappeared from view. He looked around for it but couldn't locate it anywhere. On another day, he might have torn his shop apart to extricate the feather, but he didn't want to keep Hermione waiting, so he was just satisfied that it was gone.

As he started walking down the street, he wrinkled his nose. The smell was always the same. "Muggles," he muttered, annoyed that some just threw trash wherever there was free spot.

He'd lived in New Orleans long enough that no one tried to entice him to come into their shops and none of the prostitutes tried to hit him up for business. It had only taken a few incidents of being faced with his Potion master of Hogwarts side before word had spread to leave him alone. The hot dog vendors alone were willing to call out to him. After all, a man had to eat. As he walked past one hot dog vendor, Jack, he heard a low whistle that only his sensitive ears could pick up in the crowed, music-filled street.

"Never seen you looking so fancy before," Jack called out, staring at him oddly. "Got a date?"

Severus nodded. He rarely spoke to Jack, but Jack was aware he was one of the few people Severus Snape tolerated and might have considered a friend.

"Never thought I'd see the day such an unpleasant fellow would have a date," Jack said. Severus' lips twitched, and it didn't go unnoticed by Jack who laughed loudly. "Get laid," he yelled as Severus kept walking.

Severus saw more familiar faces on his walk down the street, but Jack was the only one who spoke to him. He finally broke free from the crowd and was able to enjoy the walk. It was a rare night when there was a slight breeze to ward off the heat. He'd cast a Cooling Charm and a Bug Repellent Charm before dressing, but the breeze was still welcome. It only took a short time before he reached Hermione's boarding house. Why she stayed in a place that required her to share a bathroom with all the other residents was beyond him.

He entered the boarding house and was assaulted by the smell of cooking cabbage. As he started forward, a large woman exited the kitchen, looking him up and down pointedly, frowning.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

Severus disliked her immediately. "I'm here to pick up Miss Hermione Granger for dinner," he said, annoyed that he had to announce his intentions to the rude woman.

"Hmm," she said, clicking her tongue. "Well, there's no accounting for taste. I'll have someone let her know you're here. Sit down." She pointed at a small, uncomfortable-looking couch.

It took Severus a lot of discipline not to hex the woman as she wobbled back into the kitchen. He looked disdainfully at the couch, standing next to it instead. As he waited, the woman occasionally peered out of the kitchen, shaking her head and muttering to herself. No one had gone up the stairs yet, to his knowledge, and he was beginning to go up himself when a small boy appeared.

"I'll get Miss Hermione," he said, scurrying up to the second floor.

Severus glared darkly at the woman as she squinted at him again. Instead of recoiling as he was expecting, she glared back before returning to her work. He hoped Hermione would hurry.

He was glaring at the nosy woman again when he heard, "Severus?"

Turing, he saw Hermione looking at him strangely. "Why do you have a yellow feather in your hair?" she asked.

"What?" he asked.

She pulled a small mirror from her handbag and held it up.

Staring at his reflection, Severus was mortified to see the bothersome feather from his shop lodged in the leather thong holding his hair back. He yanked it out casting a wandless _Evanesco_ on it. "This is your fault," he said.

"No, it's your fault," she said. "Are we going to dinner or not?"

OoOoOoOoOoO

Severus stared at Hermione's plate of food. She'd ordered a steak, shrimp, and lobster trio with a baked potato and a Caesar salad. He was almost 100 sure that she would never be able to eat all that food. He'd ordered a much more sensible dish of lamb, rice, and asparagus with sliced almonds.

Finally, toward the end of their rather silent meal at Antoine's, he asked, "You ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, didn't you?"

Hermione looked up from her food and smiled. "And why would I do such a thing?"

Severus chuckled. "Hermione, you're very different from the young girl who attended Hogwarts."

"I should hope so. I'm twenty-four years old now. The last time you saw me, I was only eighteen." She smiled and placed her hand over his. "The eighteen-year-old girl would never have played along with your game yesterday."

"Am I right in assuming she never would have kissed me either?" Severus asked, turning his hand over and gripping hers.

"Actually, I might have let you do that," she said, blushing brightly. "And I can't believe I just admitted that to you."

Severus' heart thudded in his chest. "There's the Gryffindor I once knew." Leaning forward, he said, "You need to move out of the boarding house."

"Why?" she asked, confused by his sudden change of topic.

"Because I have to ask you to my house tonight instead of forcing you to ask me."

OoOoOoOoOoO

Severus carried Hermione up his stairs, kissing her, just as he had the day before. Instead of dumping her in the bathtub as he had the previous night, he carried her to his bedroom.

They loved each other slowly and gently, exchanging tender kisses and caressing each other languidly. As Severus neared bliss, he held Hermione closely, realizing that he had fallen in love with her. Had anyone told him he would ever fall in love, let alone with Hermione Granger, so quickly, he would have laughed. Pleasure surged through his body, and he knew the change he'd been looking for when he'd arrived in New Orleans was complete. He felt whole for the first time in his life.

As he drifted off to sleep that night with Hermione by his side, he knew that he'd found something he hadn't even realized he'd been looking for—a soul mate.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Hermione woke with a start the next morning, hearing a strange noise. Her limbs were tangled with Severus', and she couldn't move without waking him. She turned her head to look at him just as he let out a loud snore. The mystery of the strange noise was solved.

As she snuggled closer to him, he stirred. "You looked beautiful last night," he mumbled. "Dressed and undressed."

Hermione laughed softly. "So did you," she said.

He leaned down and kissed her gently before falling back to sleep.

Hermione smiled, love radiating through her. She'd come to New Orleans to change her life. She'd never expected for it to change quite so much.


	5. Epilogue

_Author's Notes: _Thank you to SouthernWitch69 for her beta of this chapter.

The last piece of art--the back cover--can be viewed here: http://www. geocities. com/itobriderek/ backcoverdev.jpg  
Be sure to remove the links in order to see the artwork. She's just so talented. I'm so lucky I was able to work with her on this project.

Thank you to all my reviewers. I'm so happy you all have enjoyed this story. I went ahead an updated this chapter immediately after chapter four as I want to be done with this story before book seven comes out. Hope you all like the ending!**  
**

_Disclaimer: _JKR owns it all.

* * *

**Aperio Veneficus **

**Epilogue**

_Two Years Later_

"You're doing fine, Hermione," Severus said, holding her hand tightly. "Just breathe."

Hermione's grip on his hand intensified painfully. Reaching up with her free hand, she grabbed his collar and pulled him down roughly. "You bastard," she yelled. "You breathe if you think that'll help."

She released him after glaring at him for a moment when another wave of pain swept through her. Hermione squeezed Severus' hand until he thought she was going to break it. She finally let go, and he cradled his hand against his chest.

"I need a potion for the pain. I can't do this," she said, tears slipping from her eyes.

"You said you wanted to do this without the use of medications. Are you sure you don't want to wait a little bit before jumping to such a hasty decision? Surely it's not that painful." Severus realized his words were a mistake immediately.

Hermione's face turned purple with anger before she said, "If I had my wand, I'd kill you right now. It's easy for you to say it's not that painful. You're not the one trying to squeeze something the size of a watermelon through a hole the size of a grape!"

"Well, I'd say it's bigger than a grape," Severus said.

As Hermione began screaming every obscenity she'd ever heard, Almeda pulled him from the room.

"I thought you were more intelligent than that, Severus Snape," she said, hands on her hips. "Antagonizing a woman in labor is a stupid thing to do."

Severus stared at her for a moment. "So, you think I should coddle her like a small child instead?"

Almeda laughed. "That's exactly what you should do—if you want to live through this long enough to meet your daughter." The look of amusement on her face annoyed Severus.

"How do you know we're going to have a daughter?" he asked, irritability lacing his words.

She shook her head, clicking her tongue. "Severus Snape, you should know by now that I'm the queen for a very good reason. Now get back in there and 'coddle' your wife."

Severus glared at the Voodoo queen and stalked back into the room where Hermione lay panting as another contraction tore through her body. Her face was scrunched up, and a sweat had broken out across her body. Severus suddenly felt terrible for treating her the way he had. He slipped onto the bed behind her, and she relaxed against him. He began rubbing her arms and shoulders as Almeda handed her a potion.

"I thought you didn't want me to take a potion," she said. Her tone was irritable, and Severus could tell she was exhausted.

"I was being stupid," he said, scowling as Almeda laughed. "I'd already brewed a potion in case you changed your mind."

Hermione swallowed the potion and laid her head back on Severus' shoulder. "I love you," she whispered, reaching up to caress his cheek.

"I love you, too," he said.

Hermione and Severus had gotten married six months after their first date, and she'd surprised him with the news of her pregnancy the following year. Her mother had been unable to make it to the birth since she'd suddenly gone into labor three weeks early. The Voodoo queen had shown up a short time after Hermione's water broke before they'd even been able to send word to her to come. It irked Severus to no end how she was able to do that. He hated divination, and the fact that a true Seer might exist forced him to admit the subject might not simply be ridiculous.

An hour later, Severus was still sitting behind Hermione, hands hooked behind her knees, helping to hold her legs back so she could concentrate on pushing.

"That's it, child," Almeda said. "Keep pushing. I can see your daughter's hair. It's black and curly."

Hermione didn't ask how Almeda knew it was a girl; she just took it for granted. Severus knew that Hermione also detested divination, but it never seemed to bother her that Almeda was a Seer.

Hermione leaned forward and pushed as hard as she could. Severus could feel her muscles flexing and was suddenly filled with a new respect for women.

"Beautiful," Almeda said. "You have a beautiful daughter."

A short time later, Severus was still sitting behind Hermione as she held their little girl. They named her Abigail Samantha Snape. She had black, curly hair just as Almeda had said, but she didn't look like either of them because her face was still squashed from birth. They both thought she was the most beautiful baby they'd ever seen.

"She'll make a fine queen one day," Almeda said.

"Queen?" Severus and Hermione asked in unison.

"Why do you think I let you place those gris-gris and amulets around the bayou, Severus Snape? I wanted Hermione to come as quickly as possible. I'll need to train a replacement soon. I had a vision of a young woman and her parents. When I saw the news from England with your pictures in them, I knew I had to get you together more quickly than nature would have taken." She fell silent after her explanation, staring at the new family peacefully.

"I think that's the longest speech I've heard you make, Mama Almeda," Hermione said, staring into her sleeping daughter's face.

"After the two of you brought down the witch trying to harm my people here in New Orleans, I knew your child would be my replacement," Almeda said as she picked up her bag and walked to the door.

"I thought you had a daughter," Severus said.

"Not all Voodoo magic is good," she said softly. "It can subvert even those who are pure of heart and turn them evil, just like any magic can. The witch trying to kill my people with the gris-gris bags and amulets two years ago was my daughter." She opened the door. "Your daughter will grow up to be a beloved woman. She'll bring hope and peace to those around her."

The Voodoo queen walked out the door, head held high, leaving the proud new parents alone with their baby girl.

"Hope and peace," Hermione said softly, stroking her daughter's cheek. "I like that."

"What Almeda meant was that she'll grow up to be just like her mother," Severus said, putting his arms around his wife and child.

"I love you, Severus," Hermione whispered. She turned her head, and he leaned down, kissing her gently.

"I love you, too, Hermione."

**Finite**


End file.
